The Republican journal., 1887-12-15
WASHINGTON SQUARE.
4 Curious Part of the 1Ictropo!is Graph
ically Described.
Special Correspondence


Especial co!resI)ondenco
New YORK. Dee 13.-One bright dav not
long ago strolled from Broadway ,,ov-n Wa
vcrlcy place int" Washington square y soli-
tary policeman kept watch and ward Hum
drccis of children were playing ON tie grass
plots, while nearly the same i.,i.nbcl were
being perambulated round The gr;ls.; walks by
nursenaiis of all races and every variety of
color and form. The fountain had ceased TO
play, but crowds Of small bows failed IT, profit
by the example and, with shouts OF triumph
or disgust, competed for laurel; in the
nrtluous struggles of leap frog" Orc of
the crowds attracted my special attention.
The boy who was giving his back" was not
M ordinary youth lie wore Il cap with u
badge, Il blu2 coat with brass buttons and
an accentuatel strip upon abbreviated
pants. In fact he was Il messenger boy.
Doubles; he carried Il telegram in his pocket,
and at the very moment his exulting friends
were using him as a vaulting i.uI,. in fancy :
car heard the sender of the message matter
to himself, I'm glad l gave that boy a
quarter and got his promise not to look at a
shop window or stop for a moment on tie
way | was interested in this boys; destiny,
and was pleased to find thai when he ceased
" 'G Il 'taultlil9 ll'lt HIS higher laUure-fne
messenger portion-:,ot the better of HIM.
and with a wild war whooD he went about
his business.
On the numerous benches, scattered around
the silent fountain, and among the grateful
shade of many trees, were children of a
larger growth. They did not form Pleasant
looking groups. For the most part thn men
seemed to be loafers or something worse. and
-l,,, 1.
age to appear more respc table than lnon Of
the same class-Iverc untidy. | got down fer
a moment next to Il big coorc,l .ilan ...ho
was reading a sensational paper. GA lis
right q decent Young man read Il t;c;1nan
paper. On my left Il Frcnchman smoked
a cigarette, and at Il few removes Il country
man of Victor Emmanuel wa; tI.rnnliny N
Italian sheet. 1t was Il polyglot crowd. Lat.
however different the languages. all were
united by common bonds of llenes:; AMI her
twin brother, poverty.
spoke to the negro and the Frci,hua1
and could get nothing but Il grunt from each
The Italian and the German ill not seen,
communicative, so | rose and Shoot; r.y:elf
and went to Il quiet corner wh,,,. llsl a
long bench all to myself
Washington square is ~, Interesting e,;ot
yet reached the psallnsts limit of life, and
he remembered when the square wa, the pct
ters field of its district III You dig four tcct
beneath the surface at any part Of the sJuarc,,
he said ''you will CONG upon human re-
mains" When built up the square remained
for some years one Of the most aristocratic
neighborhoods in the city. Henry James
celebrates it in q novel. and w, all know that
This IarS MONT
high life, '.julses and bpltcd knights. and all
that. But fashion moved in other directions
and left the Old :atuarr drsoate. with. liter
ally, only one-fonlth Of it, former lcspecta-
bility.
As was about to leave nv comfortable
secusion an old lame man, with gold trimmed
spectacles, tall silk hat and coat of broad
cloth, sat down beside me. After a time we
exchanged papers and commented on the
cable news. Gradually the old man was
brought upon to speak about the square.
DO you see that block!' he said, pointing to
the handsome red brick buildings on the
north side ''Wcll, that is one of the tonicst
row of houses i'll the city. The church and
university make the east side passably re-
spectacle. The west side is Il whitel sep
ulcher, and the south side is worse. Do You
see that illuminated gin mill. That belongs
to politician and is one Of the most disr-p-
utablc places in this vast city. That Italian
saloon is frcquented by poor but not vicious
people. In that particular house'-herc he
pointed with his stick-"I believe firmly that
robberies and assault, are arranged almost
every day i'll the year. Do the police know
about this! l should smile. You Just como
here regularly every afternoon for one week.
Mark the same people sitting round every
day, mostly on these benches Watch their
movements after dark, if you are not afraid
and carry pistol in your pocket. Come
round again at o'clock in the morning, and
if you don't see something fit to make the
angels weep, then | am not an American cit
izen. Yes my friend, this square is Il sadly
demoralized place, haunt for backless and
criminals, and it is II pity, because, as you
can see for yourself, tho grass and trees are
beautiful" HI